Unexpected Destiny
by supernova14
Summary: Skylark88 has become Supernova14 so it is still the same story: When the clans left on the Great Journey, they left a few clanmates behind. Interesting twisty on their fate. Rated M for mentions of sex.
1. Regrets

Tears filled my eyes as I watched the last of the cats file out of the RiverClan camp. I fought the urge to run out and leave with them. If I didn't, I knew I would never see these cats again.

I would miss my clan. Their encouraging comments and gentle teasing, the warmth of their pelts in leaf-bare…I would miss it all. Especially the kits. I loved the kits.

I could have made it. I was still young for an elder. But Speckletail couldn't have managed the journey to a new home and someone had to stay with her. I was never one for abandoning cats in times of need.

"I'll miss them too, Frostfur." Shadepelt had padded up to sit beside me. "But at least we will have each other in our last moons."

Shadepelt was a RiverClan elder that I knew well. She and I had been apprentices at the same time. Those were the days. Gatherings, hunting with friends, training with Bluestar…I sighed as I remembered the forest free of twolegs. Every thing went wrong after Tigerstar was born. Before that, the only major events in the clan were border disputes over stolen prey. Nothing too serious. But after that, Pinestar left, Goosefeather went mad, Bluefur's kits died, the fire ravaged our territory, the dog pack attacked, Bluestar died, BloodClan attacked, and the twolegs came.

Shadepelt and I sat there a long time. We were so lost in thought that when my stomach growled, we both jumped.

"Goodness Frostfur! You sound hungry!" Shadepelt's whiskers twitched with amusement.

"Yeah I am. Should we hunt? Where's the best place to find prey?"

"The river. Come on, I'll teach you how to fish."

"Okay. Let me just tell the others." I bounded into Mudfur's den to find Speckletail and Loudbelly asleep at vigil for him.

Poor Mudfur. I pressed my nose into his fur. It was still warm. Wait…that wasn't right. He had been dead by dawn and it was sunhigh. His fur should be cold by now.

I bristled in shock as I saw the faint rise and fall of his chest. It grew stronger and stronger until he stirred and blinked open his eyes. I gasped.

Mudfur was alive!

**Cliffie! What did you think? The review button loves you!**


	2. Fish and Mice

"Shadepelt," I hissed. "Get in here! Speckletail, Loudbelly, wake up!" I prodded them with a paw.

"Let us sleep Frostfur!" Speckletail growled.

I prodded her again "No! Mudfur is alive!"

Shadepelt rushed into the medicine den. "What is it?"

"Mudfur is alive!"

Shadepelt stared at me as if I had just told her that a flying hedgehog had caught us breakfast.

"See for yourself!"

Loudbelly, Speckletail, and Shadepelt scrambled past me.

"He's breathing!" Loudbelly exclaimed.

"Hello my friends! Who's here?" Mudfur sat up straight with renewed strength.

For a moment we were all speechless. Then Shadepelt stepped forward.

"Hi Mudfur, it's Shadepelt. Frostfur, Speckletail and Loudbelly are here too."

Mudfur looked slightly disappointed. "Is that all? Hardly the makings of a new clan," He muttered, half to himself.

"Ah, well let's get a hunting patrol going," He went on briskly.

"Shadepelt and I were about to go…Mudfur?"

"Yes Frostfur?"

"How is it that you are alive? I mean we all saw you die…" I could see that the other cats were curious about this as well, but had been too nervous to ask.

"Ah I thought you might be wondering about that. All right, sit down." He paused as we made ourselves comfortable. "When I died, Crookedstar came to get me. He told me that this was not my time to die. He said that a couple of cats had stayed behind for my vigil and that they would need my help to survive. He then gave me another life and sent me down again." He looked around nervously, as if he was avoiding one part of the story.

We stared at him in shock. "Another life?" Speckletail mewed in disbelief.

"Yes," Mudfur meowed simply. "Well go on," He said to Shadepelt and I. "Get hunting. We will need food to keep our strength up."

Shadepelt and I backed out of the den reluctantly.

I could see her eyes still blazing with questions, (My eyes were the same) but Mudfur refused to say anything more.

"Still want that fishing lesson?" Shadepelt asked.

"You bet!" I replied.

Shadepelt led the way down to the river.

It was much smaller than usual. I remembered the RiverClan deputy, Mistyfoot, explaining that the twolegs had changed the flow of the river. Stupid, mousebrained twolegs! Why couldn't they just leave us alone!

The small scuffling of a mouse broke me out of my reverie. I instinctively dropped into the hunter crouch.

"Frostfur? What are you doing?" Shadepelt mewed softly.

I silenced her with a flick of my tail.

My mouth open slightly, I crept towards a small clump of bracken where the mouse seemed to be hiding.

Closer, closer, one more step…and I sprang on the little unsuspecting creature.

I bit into its neck with satisfaction and gave a little prayer of thanks to StarClan.

"Nice catch!" Shadepelt praised.

"Thanks," I mumbled around a mouthful of mouse. I set it down. "Do you want to try?"

"Sure!" Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Okay come here." I paused as she trotted up next to me.

"In ThunderClan, we use a special hunting crouch. We keep our paws light, so our prey can't feel their vibrations. Especially with mice. With birds your paws don't have to be light, and rabbits will smell you before they feel or hear you."

I smiled as I heard myself repeat one of the main lessons a ThunderClan apprentice has to learn.

"So basically just remember to step lightly and always be downwind of your prey." I concluded. "Now copy me."

I dropped slowly into the hunters crouch, nodding enthusiastically as she copied me. "Now, creep forward and spring."

Shadepelt nodded.

One more step…snap!

Shadepelt had stepped on a twig.

The mouse she had been stalking looked up and fled.

Shadepelt launched herself after it but I called her back. "There's no point. It's gone."

When I saw the disappointed look in her eyes I added, "Don't feel bad. I don't know one apprentice that caught the first prey they stalked. Cheer up."

"I s'pose you're right. Come on, lets go fishing!" We started off again towards the river.

When we reached it's banks, I couldn't help but notice again how small it looked. Would it feed us? I hoped so.

Shadepelt beckoned me over with her tail.

Now she was the mentor and I was the apprentice.

"Look into the water," she said. "Do you see any fish?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now make sure your shadow doesn't fall across the water- that would alert the fish." She waited patiently as I readjusted myself.

"Watch me." She mewed.

Shadepelt stared into the water for a long time. I followed her gaze and spotted a big, juicy fish. She waited until it was right in front of her and then flashed out a paw, quick as lightning. The fish flew up in the air and landed on the bank. It wriggled around for a few moments until Shadepelt finished it off with a bite to the neck.

"Wow that was great!" I meowed.

She beamed. "It was nothing. You try."

"Okay," I mewed uncertainly.

My fishing was not successful that day.

On my first try, the fish saw my shadow and darted away before I could catch it.

On my second try, my paw wasn't quick enough to grab the slippery fish.

On my third try, I flung the fish in the air and it hit me in the muzzle before it flopped back into the river.

I decided my fishing career was over.

"How 'bout we make a deal," I meowed to Shadepelt. "You catch the fish, and I'll supply the land prey."

"Good idea," she mewed, her whiskers twitching.

She caught another fish and then we headed home. On the way there, I caught another mouse and a sparrow.

We padded towards the camp, our pelts brushing and our mouths full of fresh-kill. It had been a surprisingly warm day for leaf- bare. I was content.

_This is how life should be_, I decided. _Peaceful and happy._

**Okay that's it! Thanks and goodbye until next update. I should be able to get the next chapter up by next Monday. Review please!**


	3. Aftermath

I woke up feeling sore and sticky.

As I slowly blinked open my eyes, I realized it was getting dark. Where was I? What happened? Then the events of the day rushed back to me and I remembered with a smile what Mudfur and I had done.

Where was he? I looked around and spotted him on the other side of me, flopped down on the grass. He must have passed out too.

I got up and stretched out my sore limbs. I would ask him for some herbs later. _Would it ever be the same between us?_ _How could I pretend to be normal around him after what we did?_

I slowly groomed my pelt as I watched the sun set. Then I moved on to his. He woke up as I was licking his face, just for fun as I had finished cleaning his pelt long ago.

He stirred and groggily opened his eyes. "Frostfur?"

"Yes it's me." I purred, continuing to lick his muzzle.

"That was fun." He mewed.

I sighed with happiness, savoring the moment. "Come on we should head back. The others will be wondering where we are by now."

He got up and we padded across the clearing tails twined together. At the last moment I remembered the chervil and dashed back for it.

As we stood outside the camp, I meowed to Mudfur, "Maybe we shouldn't tell the others."

He looked hurt. "Why not?"

"Because…because you are a medicine cat. Even though we aren't with our clans we should still be following the warrior code." I pointed out.

He reluctantly agreed and we pressed our muzzles together one last time before entering RiverClan's old home.

I took the chervil to his den, judging by smell the place for it. As I pushed it in, I noticed there was tons of chervil; he was not short on it at all. My whiskers twitched as I realized he had taken me out on purpose to mate with me; it was no accident hat we ended up mating.

I pushed out of Mudfur's den and headed for the freshkill pile. As I sat down with Speckletail to eat a vole, I saw Shadepelt and Loudbelly pad through the entrance, carrying no prey. Where had they been? But Then I saw the dazed, loving look in Shadepelt's eyes and I knew. They had been out for the same reason Mudfur and I had been out.

I called to Shadepelt and she looked up, surprised. She turned her paws our direction and began walking towards us, flicking Loudbelly's pelt in affection.

"Hey Shadepelt. How was your day?" Speckletail asked with a knowing look in her eyes.

"Just wonderful," Shadepelt sighed in pleasure.

I twitched my whiskers and Speckletail let out a little mrrow of amusement. Shadepelt had lusted after Loudbelly since our apprenticeship, but he had another cat as his mate. She passed away leaf-bare and I guess now Shadepelt finally got her chance.

_This is not so bad without the others_, I thought. _I am surrounded by friends…_


	4. Some Sort of Sickness

A few days later pains woke me in the middle of the night. Quickly I stumbled out of the warriors den and dashed for the camp entrance. I only made it a few tail lengths out of the camp before I had to take cover in a bush as I wretched all over the ground.

After it was over I collapsed, exhausted, lying in my vomit but too tired to care.

What had I eaten? Possibly it was something poisoned by the twolegs. I remembered the last months in ThunderClan, when all the rabbits were poisoned. I shuddered at the thought of Dappletail's death. I hoped the clans were faring better. Had they found new territory?

As the pale light of dawn began to light the sky, I hauled myself up and lumbered down to the river to wash my pelt of the foul smelling vomit. I waded into the stream until my belly fur got wet, then I began to let the river cleanse me. The cool water was soothing. The current tugged at my paws. It wanted to pull me downstream. Swimming must feel so nice. I bet it feels weightless. Like you are floating in air. I resolved to ask Shadepelt to teach me how when I was feeling better.

I got out of the river and shook the water from my paws. I turned my back to the rising sun and plodded towards the camp.

Halfway there, I ran into Mudfur. "Where were you? I woke up and your nest was cold…"

I blushed, touched that he cared for me that much. "Oh…I was just …going for a walk." I didn't tell him about being sick because I did not want to seem weak. I know that I should have, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

He purred and ran his muzzle along my flank. I lifted my tail in delight, only to have him think I wanted something else.

His purring got much louder as he began. My thoughts were filled with nothing but wanting him.

So I did not notice that my stomach began to churn again.

We laid down on the ground, facing opposite ways so we could each get at the other's sensitive spot.

Then my stomach let loose and I ended up barfing onto his lower area. He immediately jumped away in surprise and disgust. I shut my eyes, horrified of what he would think of me.

But instead of running away, he went over to the bushes and wiped off the foul substance, then padded over to me and licked between my ears with tenderness.

"Are you all right?" He mewed.

I opened my eyes a slit. "I-I guess so."

"Can you walk? Does it hurt anywhere?"

I shakily got to my feet. "I'm okay." I peered up at him. "Y-you're not mad?"

His whiskers twitched in amusement. "Mad? Why would I be? I am only concerned." I looked up into his eyes and saw that his gaze was full of love. "Come on, let's get you back to camp."

I leaned on his shoulder and we slowly made our way home.

When we got there, the others were gone. Probably hunting.

In his den, he made me a nest of moss and laid me down. He checked over my body and asked where it hurt. Then he was silent for a few moments. Finally he looked me straight in the eyes and told me I was expecting kits.

**Cliffie! Mwahahahaha! Next chapter should be up by tomorrow. I might even get it up tonight! REVIEW PLS PLS PLS!**


	5. Hurt Feelings

**If any of you didn't get it, Frostfur had morning sickness. I don't know if cats go through that but whatever. Anyway…**

Wait…what? What did he say? My brain was slow to process this.

"Kits?" I asked him.

"Yes," He answered.

"But…I can't be. I haven't had kits in moons. I am too old!"

He smiled. "It is a miracle sent from StarClan. Isn't it great? And all going according to schedule."

My eyes clouded in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He looked at me as if the answer was obvious. "Crookedstar gave me another life so I could formulate a new clan. Clans can't be made without kits."

So he did all this because it was the will of StarClan. I thought he loved me and cared about me. But all he cared for was the tiny lives inside my belly. Well then, I made up my mind that he would have no part in my kits' future. He did not deserve it. So there.

I stared back at him, hurt and shut down. "Fine. I'll leave now. Bye." I got to my paws and pointedly turned my back as I left the den.

"Frostfur wait! I do love you! But this had to happen! It is StarClan's will. Please come back! I love you!"

"You don't love me enough!" I yowled over my shoulder.

Furious, I stormed out of the camp. I couldn't bear to be here with Mudfur. I couldn't even bear to be in the same universe as him.

I found my paws heading towards the stepping stones. Yes, I decided. It would be good to be in ThunderClan territory again.

I trotted neatly across the stepping stones and onto the far bank. Once there I quickened my pace with excitement. I did not even notice the devastation of the twolegs as I sped across my territory. I saw the forest as it used to be, green and lush.

I visited all my old haunts, like the owl tree, where long ago Bluefur had made me stick my nose under the leaves to find the awful smelling owl pellets. The innocent, carefree life of an apprentice. If I shut my eyes hard enough I could almost imagine that day. Almost. But not quite.

Sighing, I got up and turned towards the old camp. It would be good to see it one last time before I got too heavy with kits and then too frail to travel across the river.

As I reached the entrance of the old camp, I slowed my pace. Silently, I walked down the ravine and into the gorse tunnel. As I stepped into what was our old camp, I tried to imagine it as it was many seasons ago.

Bluestar and Whitestorm were sharing tongues over by the highrock. Cinderpaw and Brackenpaw were scuffling in the sand by the apprentices den. Spottedleaf brushed past me on her way to the medicine den, her jaws full of herbs. Dappletail was entertaining Brightkit and Thornkit with as story. I stepped aside as Graystripe and Fireheart came through the gorse tunnel, their jaws full of prey, giving each other a good natured shove as they headed towards the freshkill pile.

I blinked, and the vision was gone in a heartbeat.

I headed towards the nursery. That was always where I felt most comfortable.

Squeezing in through the bracken fronds, I breathed in the stale scents of Ferncloud and her kits. Suddenly feeling drowsy and overwhelmed, I settled down in one of the mossy nests and closed my eyes.


	6. Visit From StarClan

**Wow. I am really on a roll here! Here goes chapter 6…**

_When I opened my eyes, the camp had disappeared. I was lying beneath the great sycamore, but it was much smaller. A cat was padding through the forest towards me. She was a lithe brown tabby with whit paws and her pelt sparkled like the stars. _

_My tail curled up in delight and I mewled like a kit when I recognized the figure: Robinwing!_

_I stood to greet my mother. "Robinwing! I've missed you so much!"_

_She smiled kindly at me. "Hello, Frostfur."_

"_Why are you here?" I queried._

"_Frostfur, you were always so gentle. I watched you from Silverpelt. I watched you raise all those litters. Are you really upset about having kits?"_

"_Well, I-I guess not."_

"_Do not be afraid, Frostfur. This is your destiny."_

_Robinwing gave me a comforting lick on my head. I shut my eyes in peace._

I yawned and stretched. Still clinging to the warmth and scent of my mother, I was reluctant to get up. I lay there for a few more moments, savoring her presence.

Eventually though, I got up and pushed out of the nursery. So lost in thoughts about my mother, I did not notice the noise of the monster until it burst into the clearing, ravaging its way through the brambles. It smashed into the warrior's den, flattening it in a heartbeat.

I stared at it in terror. I t headed right for me. My eyes were wide as I watched its huge, heavy claws reach out towards me.

I turned to flee but then had a thought. If I died right now, I could foil Mudfur's plans and be with my mother, father, and kits up in StarClan!

So I turned back around and braced myself for the intense pain sure to com

_Suddenly Robinwing appeared. She was looking at me with a scolding expression. "Do you think you can solve your troubles by dying? It won't work, Frostfur. This is not your time to die. You will live many more seasons yet. Run, Frostfur. Protect your unborn kits. RUN!"_

Shocked, I followed her advice and turned tail. I pelted out of the camp so fast my paws felt like they were running on air.

Faster, faster. My heartbeat raced in adrenaline and fear.

SMACK! I collided with a twoleg fence and the world once again went black.


	7. Rescue by Kittypets

**Chapter 7…**

My head felt fuzzy. As I opened my eyes, my vision was unfocused. Three cats were standing over me, a black tom with white markings, a grey she-cat and an orange kitten.

The world kept spinning.

"Look, Pebbles, she is coming to," mewed the kitten.

"You're right, Enzo. Don't frighten her," came the response of the grey she-cat.

I blinked, my mind still confused.

"It looks like she hit her head pretty bad." That was the black tom.

"What should we do, Pebbles?" The kitten asked.

"Oh, look, she's awake! Why don't you ask her what happened, Tornado." meowed the grey she-cat.

I tried to sit up but the wound in my head hurt too much.

Finally they spoke directly to me. "Are you okay?" questioned the grey she-cat. "My name is Pebbles. This is Tornado," she continued, gesturing to the black tom. "and-"

"I'm Enzo!" The orange kitten piped up.

The grey she-cat was not bothered by his interruption. "Yes that's Enzo. Is there anything we can do for you?"

"My…head…hurts." I tried to reply.

"What happened to you?" Tornado asked.

"Well I hit this fence, I guess."

"You look so skinny! Do your twolegs not feed you?" Enzo mewed.

My belly growled in answer.

"Would you like some of my food? I could go get it for you." Enzo offered.

"That's kind, but…" I started, then thought better of refusing free food. "Sure, thanks."

Enzo nodded and dashed off, excited to be helping.

"Enzo," Pebbles called. "Bring your twolegs too. She needs help."

"What is your name?" Tornado asked me.

"Uh…that's funny. I don't remember." It was getting harder to breathe.

Tornado and Pebbles exchanged a glance. "Why don't we call you…Sugar." Tornado suggested.

"Allright. For now Sugar is her name." Pebbles decided. "Do you remember where you live?"

"No. Sorry."

"Do you remember anything at all?"

I tried to remember something…anything. But there was nothing. "No… It's all… blank."

By now my breath was coming in short gasps.

"She is really in trouble." Pebbles muttered. "Where is Enzo?" She looked around. "Tornado will you go fetch him and tell him he doesn't need to bring food. Just his twolegs. Or any twolegs." As Tornado raced away, Pebbles started yowling. It was loud, and unwavering. That of a cat who wanted attention.

I shut my eyes and tried to blot out the noise. I was suddenly very tired…

**Jeez this cat sure does a lot of passing out doesn't she?**


	8. Recuperation

**Hey Hey people! Here goes CHAPTER 8…**

I woke up in a room with lights blaring down at me. I was in a harshly lit, white room with big lights and pointed, shiny tools.

The worst part about it was that standing over me were…twolegs. They were wearing masks and creepy white suits, holding some of the pointed tools.

I tried to lash out in fear, but found that my limbs were pinned to the table. I swallowed a whimper.

Where were Pebbles, Enzo, and Tornado? Had they sent me here? I don't think they meant to but possibly accidentally because of their actions to save me.

What was my life like before I hit the fence? I felt sure it was better than this. Did I have friends who were worrying and searching for me? Did I…did I have a family?

Big hands picked me up gently. I tried to struggle, but found I was too weak. My head still hurt badly, and I felt sore in my foreleg.

The hands led me to a shiny den with a shiny web door. The hands opened thedoor and set me down inside.

The floor of the den was covered with something very soft. Even softer than moss, I thought. Wait a second…_softer than moss?_ When did I ever sleep on moss? Was my memory coming back!

In the corner of the den there were two dishes. One had water and the other had a soft brown substance. It smelled like fish from the river…wait _…from the river?_ What river? I must have lived by a river. So then I definitely was not a housecat.

It was all so confusing. I kept getting brief flashes of memory and losing them again.

Awhile later, my stomach growled, so I gave up fighting with my memories and settled down to eat the fishy brown stuff. Perhaps I would remember when my head wound got better. The brown stuff was not all that appetizing but it was food and I was hungry, so I managed to swallow it.

Content and with a full stomach, I yawned. Time for bed. I curled in to a ball on the soft bedding, trying to convince myself that in the morning everything would seem clearer.


	9. Three New Friends

**CHAPTER 9! Let's hear it for Supernova 14, who happens to be a SUPERFAST writer! Here it is. Enjoy…**

The next half moon passed like that. Waking, eating, thinking, eating, sleeping. I could feel myself healing.

But then there came a day where I woke, ate, and then the den was opened. Hands reached in and picked me up. There was once a time where I would have scratched and bit those hands, but I had grown fond of the twolegs who caredk for me, and I think they grew fond of me too.

I was carried up a flight of stairs into a room, then a hallway, and into another room. In this room, I smelled the scents of many cats. Some smelled fearful, others smelled excited, and yet others smelled angry and upset. What was this place?

The hands brought me to a room and opened the door. They set me down, gave me one final stroke and coo, and then the hands were gone. The door was shut behind the hands and they left. Without even a backward glance.

I sighed and resigned myself to exploring this new place. Looking around, I saw it was much bigger that the den where I used to be kept. This den had soft things, and beds, and things to scratch claws on and places to hide and things to play with and things to climb…It was wonderful!

"So who's the newcomer?" Mewed a gruff voice from behind me.

I whirled around in surprise and alarm to face a tabby tom. "I-I'm Sugar. Is this your place? I'm sorry. I'll leave." I started to back away, only to back into another tom. This one was white with black splotches.

"Lookie here. Who's the cutie?" The white and black tom meowed. He gave me a sniff. "Guess what? They haven't snipped her lady parts!"

"Why ever not?" asked the tabby.

"I'll tell you why. It's 'cause she's expectin'!"

The tabby tom turned away in disgust. "That means kittens. I hate kittens."

I lowered my head, feeling shy and awkward and teased. I began to back away towards one of the hiding places.

Then I saw a third cat. This one was tortoiseshell and a she-cat. "Hi Sugar. I'm Adele. Are you alright? Pay no attention to them. They don't mean it they just like to have something else to do. The tabby cat is called Titan and the other one is Rio."

Rio spoke up at his name. "What are you doin' Adele? I hope you ain't poisonin' my image before I come over and take advantage o' those lady parts!" He broke off into a chuckle.

Horrified, I dashed for a cat tree and flew up the side. At the top was a sleeping place. It had no other cat's scent on it, so I settled down in it myself.

Down below I heard Adele scold, "Look what you did. She was skittish already, and now she is scared out of her mind."

Rio replied, "Nah, she ain't scared o' me! Are ya, sweetie?"

I didn't reply.

"Say you are sorry, Rio!"

"Oh fine. Sugar, I'm sorry you is too shy to speak fo' yo'self."

My fur bristled.

"I'm sorry you can't take a joke."

My lips curled back in the beginnings of a snarl.

"I'm sorry you don't fit in."

That was it. That was all I would take. Something broke inside of me. Some instinct deep inside told me I was born and raised to fight with tooth and claw. I let that instinct take over.

With a furious screech, I launched myself down from the cat tree and landed squarely on Rio's shoulders. He staggered under my weight, completely taken by surprise. I scratched his flank and bit his ear until it bled. He yowled with pain.

The job done, I sprung off of his back.

I sat down in front of him and began to wash my paws. Now he would leave me alone.  
Infuriated, Rio gathered himself and sprung at me, but in heartbeats we were on the floor and I had him pinned down.

I let him get up. He reached out a paw to scratch my face but I cuffed him over the ear and mewed, "Let it go. You're not gonna win."

But Rio wasn't finished yet. He tried to spring one more time, but I easily sidestepped and let him crash to the floor. "Mousebrain!" I meowed. "Stop injuring yourself more! All I wanted was for you to stop teasing me."

Rio stalked off, his pride injured more than his body.

I gave myself a thorough washing, and I had gotten all the way to my rump before I looked up and noticed the other cats were staring at me. Rio was annoyed but grudgingly respectful. Titan's gaze was one of admiration and Adele's was one of fear and awe. I could see I had earned my place here.

I smiled at them and they all smiled back. Titan first, then Adele, then Rio.


	10. A New Plan

**Drum roll please…..CHAPTER 10! Woot woot!**

I yawned and stretched. I was becoming more and more restless here. Something urged me to get out before my kits were born. Every day I grew bigger, and I knew that someday soon I would not be able to move as nimbly.

"Morning, Sugar." Adele was lying on a cat tree not far from me, washing herself.

"Good Morning, Adele."

"Goo' Morn', Sugar," Rio called from a couch where he was lazily playing with a pink stuffed mouse.

"Hey Rio," I responded.

Where was Titan? He was usually the first to greet me in the morning. "Titan?" I meowed uncertainly.

"Titan left early in the morning, before sunup. He...looked in pain. The-the twolegs… wheeled him out on a cart." Adele murmured. She sounded worried.

I gasped. "Is he alright?"

"I-I don't know. He was very old…." She trailed off and glanced anxiously at Rio.

For the first time, I noticed how despondent he looked. "Rio…are you okay?" I mewed.

He had stopped playing with the mouse and was staring down at his paws. He took a while before he answered, "Yeah, I guess so. It's just…Titan has been here forever, since I was a young kit. He pretty much raised me, since the twolegs take the kittens away from their parents at a young age."

I gasped. I would be separated from my kits? Now I knew I had to get out. "I'm sure he will be fine, Rio. Don't worry too much." I sympathized. "Um, out of curiosity, how do we get out of here?"

Rio guessed what I was thinking. "You want to raise your kittens yourself?"

I gave a terse nod.

Adele spoke up, "You get adopted, silly. Every cat knows that's the only way out. But you might have some trouble with this strategy as you are pregnant."

"Is there no way to escape?"

"And go where? You would just be caught and brought back here…or brought to somewhere not so friendly." Rio muttered ominously.

"Not so friendly? What do you mean?"

Adele answered for him, "Sugar, not all places are this nice. This place has a no-kill policy." She exchanged a glance with Rio. "Most shelters kill cats after they have stayed too long."

My eyes widened, horrified.

"So your best bet is to get adopted." Rio continued. "Be cute, cuddly, playful, and loveable. Then twolegs will adopt you."

"Ok, I'll try that strategy."

"Oh, and be nice to the workers here. They will put in a good word for you if you are." Adele added.

Food was brought and then the shelter was opened. Twolegs came into the shelter and looked at us through the glass windows. I went to the door and purred through the screen.

Finally someone noticed me and came into the den. I weaved around his legs, purring loudly. He sat down on the floor and I crawled into his lap. He stroked me softly and it felt very good, so I purred more. Rio and Adele had vanished, giving me the spotlight. When the twoleg began to sweep a feather across the floor, I chased it. I grabbed it and rolled over with it in my paws. Laying on my back and looking at the twoleg, I could see he was in love with me. It wanted to keep me. The twoleg got up and left. I gave it a quick lick on the cheek as farewell. I could see it talking to one of the workfolk. They kept looking over towards me and smiling. I had a good feeling about this!

Adele and Rio came out from their hiding spots as soon as it left. They were purring. Adele came over and brushed up against me. Rio rested his tail tip on my flank.

"Well done, Sugar," He mewed in his western drawl.

"You'll get out in no time." Adele promised.

I would miss these two characters. They were supportive and kind. Adele and Rio had turned out to be great friends who had my back. Now I had to have theirs.

While I sat down with Adele to share tongues, Rio slunk away, back to his nest. Poor Rio. I hoped Titan was okay. He always seemed so solid, so strong, like he would always be there.


End file.
